Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius appeared before two House committees this week, trying to testify on controversial aspects of ObamaCare.
At issue: The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) that's made up of 15 presidential appointees — a majority of whom are required to be a nonphysicians — who have the power to analyze the financial drivers of the Medicare system, as well as determining which beneficiaries can receive care.
The Republican-led Budget Committee and the Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee on health met on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, to hear testimony from the secretary, as well as physicians, legal experts and consumer advocates.
Questions in both committee hearings centered around power, patients and payments.
Conservatives are concerned that the new health care law actually prevents congressional oversight and judicial review. A supermajority of the Senate (67 votes) is required to reject or amend IPAB recommendations. If Congress fails to act, the secretary is mandated to carry out the board's directives.
"If IPAB decides to reduce provide(rs') payments for dialysis, is it possible that some providers will stop offering dialysis?" subcommittee chairman Joe Pitts, R-Penn., asked Sebelius. "And won't that limit patient access? That's rationing."
Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., ranking member of the health subcommittee, agreed with Pitts. "We don't need IPAB."
Budget Committee member Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., a former nurse, expressed her concern regarding the constitutionality of the unelected board making "recommendations" that carry the weight of law. "I have a problem with … its transparency and how this board is going to operate behind closed doors without public opinion, public comment."
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and who testified at the health subcommittee hearing, said that IPAB "could lead not only to the death of patients, but also to the death of innovation."
IPAB and Congress are not the solution, Perkins said.
"Injecting more government into the equation only punishes patients and squeezes out the cutting-edge science that could treat them. This is just one more reason to contact your congressmen and tell them to not rest until ObamaCare is laid to rest."
Contact: Catherine Snow
Source: CitizenLink
